Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, aged to 2026 using compounded market movement. State selections show BLS state-level figures where published. Actual pay varies with experience, industry, and organization size.
Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing salary by state
Base salary plus target annual bonus. Target bonus opportunity scales with role level, so a higher base carries a higher target percentage.
Base salary
$45,000
National baseline
Target bonus
$3,500
8% of base
Total target cash
$48,500
Base plus target bonus
Bonus percentiles:25th$2,00050th$3,50075th$5,500
Long-term incentive is not shown for this role. Equity awards are only disclosed publicly for the named executive officers of public companies, so no market figure exists for most jobs. See executive pay disclosures.
About this role
Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing is a professional role within the function in the Production job family.
Typical entry preparation: High School Diploma and up to 1 year of related work experience, per O*NET occupational data. Advancement typically requires additional years in role.
What Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawings do
Typical education: High School Diploma
Set up, program, operate, or tend computerized or manual woodworking machines, such as drill presses, lathes, shapers, routers, sanders, planers, or wood-nailing machines.
Examine finished workpieces for smoothness, shape, angle, depth-of-cut, or conformity to specifications and verify dimensions, visually and using hands, rules, calipers, templates, or gauges.
Start machines, adjust controls, and make trial cuts to ensure that machinery is operating properly.
Monitor operation of machines and make adjustments to correct problems and ensure conformance to specifications.
Examine raw woodstock for defects and to ensure conformity to size and other specification standards.
Top skills:Operations MonitoringOperation and ControlQuality Control AnalysisMonitoringTroubleshootingSpeaking
Includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (CC BY 4.0).
Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing pay by experience level
Entry level$33,000
Typical starting pay (about the 10th percentile)
Early career$38,500
A few years in (about the 25th percentile)
Experienced$45,000
Mid-career median pay
Senior$50,500
Seasoned professionals (about the 75th percentile)
Top earners$59,000
Highest earners (about the 90th percentile)
Experience tiers are derived from the BLS wage percentile distribution for this occupation, aged to 2026. Actual pay varies by employer, location, and specialization.
Job outlook
-1.8%
projected change in jobs, 2024–2034
6,400
projected openings per year
Declining
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program (2024–2034). Openings include growth and replacement needs.
Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing salary by industry
Wood Product Manufacturing
38,360 workers
$45,000
Other Wood Product Manufacturing
25,280 workers
$44,500
Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing
14,590 workers
$46,500
Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing (3371 and 3372 only)
14,580 workers
$46,500
Veneer, Plywood, and Engineered Wood Product Manufacturing
National sector-level figures, BLS OEWS May 2025, aged to 2026.
Typical duties and FLSA status
Core duties
Set up, program, operate, or tend computerized or manual woodworking machines, such as drill presses, lathes, shapers, routers, sanders, planers, or wood-nailing machines.
Examine finished workpieces for smoothness, shape, angle, depth-of-cut, or conformity to specifications and verify dimensions, visually and using hands, rules, calipers, templates, or gauges.
Start machines, adjust controls, and make trial cuts to ensure that machinery is operating properly.
Monitor operation of machines and make adjustments to correct problems and ensure conformance to specifications.
Examine raw woodstock for defects and to ensure conformity to size and other specification standards.
FLSA classification (typical)
Typically Non-exempt · Service, trades, or production work
Occupations in this SOC group are typically classified as Non-exempt and eligible for overtime pay under FLSA rules. Actual classification depends on the specific job duties, salary basis, and any applicable state or local rules. The current federal salary threshold for exemption is $684 per week ($35,568 per year), per the 2020 Department of Labor rule; the 2024 rule that would have raised the threshold was struck down by federal court in November 2024.
How this role compares
Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing pays 20% below the average across 112 roles in the Production job family (family average $56,000).
Related occupations from O*NET OnLine, U.S. Department of Labor.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing make?
The average base salary for a Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing in the United States is $45,000 per year, or about $21.63 per hour.
What is the typical salary range?
Pay typically falls between $38,500 and $50,500 per year (25th to 75th percentile) depending on experience, location, industry, and organization size.
How does this compare with other Production roles?
The Production job family averages $56,000 across 112 roles tracked by WePayFairly.
Need a defensible market price for this role? WePayFairly data is compiled from published survey sources and maintained by compensation professionals.
Need Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing pay benchmarked for your organization, or defensible compensation analysis for a dispute or valuation? Grahall builds it from primary sources, backed by an expert who testifies.
